One element of Afternoon Tea is tea or finger sandwiches. Tea or finger sandwiches are basically small sandwiches, with the crusts removed*, that can be eaten in 2-3 bites. Sandwiches can be cut into triangles, rectangles, or squares. While it can seem wasteful to cut off the crusts, the point is to have a small, dainty sandwich to accompany your tea, something you can hold gracefully with one hand. I like to cut the crusts off the bread before filling the sandwiches. I then store the crusts in the freezer until I have enough to process into breadcrumbs for other recipes.
Converting these sandwiches to a plant-based diet may seem challenging at first, but the flexibility and creativity allowed in filling options makes it quite simple. Start with a good quality, whole grain bread. I prefer 100% whole wheat, but I used Heidelberg Bread’s pumpernickel and multigrain in the pictures above (the store was out of the whole wheat at the time). Then fill with your favorite filling or combination of fillings. Here are some suggestions (a few are pictured above). It’s that simple. As long as you and your tea companions enjoy them, you can’t really go wrong.
Tempeh bacon, Avocado, and Lettuce
Hummus
Hummus and Cucumber
Nut Cheese
Nut Cheese and Cucumber
Nut Butter (peanut, almond, hazelnut, etc)
Nut Butter and thinly sliced fruit (ex: a strawberry)
Nut Butter and 100% Fruit Spread
100% Fruit Spread
Chocolate Nut Butter
Varying Veggies 